Oxford

Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The large student community means this is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. There are lots of riverside cafes, modern restaurants and traditional English pubs. It is easy to explore by foot the city’s historic buildings, galleries, and museums and the surrounding countryside is lush and green.

Things to see and do

Cathedral at Christ Church

People have been worshipping at this site for more than 1000 years. Today this is the university’s largest college, as well as a place of worship for people in Oxford. Choir services take place everyday and there are regular events. Christ Church has a long association with children’s literature, most famously Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books.

Ashmolean Museum

The famous Ashmolean Museum is an important centre for art and archeology. It houses the world’s largest group of Raphael drawings, and significant collections of Chinese art, and ancient Egyptian, Anglo-Saxon and Minoan artifacts. It hosts regular special collections and is an important focus for education and research.

Blenheim Palace

The birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill is one of the finest baroque buildings in England. There are 2000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown parkland, a Great Lake, formal gardens and a butterfly house. There are lots of events through the year, including Medieval-style jousting contests, Summer Shakespeare outdoor theatre and sporting events.